WKSU.org | Cincinnati Reds Make Their Case to Supreme Court Over Free Bobbleheads

Author: Buckingham

June 14, 2018

When a sports fan goes to a game and gets a free promotional item like a bobblehead, does the team have to pay taxes on that freebie? That was the question before the Ohio Supreme Court.

“Thank you for agreeing to hear this oral argument for a fun yet serious issue involving novelty items – bobbleheads.”

That was lawyer Steven Dimengo’s first pitch before the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing for his team, the Cincinnati Reds. The state says the Reds owe $88,000 in use taxes on promotional items handed out at games between 2008 and 2010. The law says taxable gifts are defined as those that are given away without charge.

Kody Teaford argued for the state tax commissioner, said the team can’t have it both ways – not paying taxes when buying the items or using them to sell tickets, which aren’t taxed. [Continued]